Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

Exeter Athletic Director Ball to receive State Award of Merit

The New Hampshire Athletic Directors’ Association will present Exeter High School athletic director Bill Ball with the 2013 State Award of Merit later this month during a conference for athletic administrators at the Grappone Center in Concord.

The award is given annually by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association for recognition of meritorious dedication for high school and middle school athletics.

Ball has been Exeter’s athletic director for the last 14 years. He has been a football coach at Exeter since 1979. He served as co-head coach for five years and was named the program’s head coach in 1993. His teams have received the Division II Sportsmanship Award 11 times.

Ball has served on the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Board of Directors for five years, and has overseen the addition of girls’ ice hockey, gymnastics and bass fishing during his time as Exeter’s AD. He is also the boys’ lacrosse assigner for the state and serves on the NHIAA Football Committee as assistant chair.